ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s policy on the Siachen issue has not changed and it is ready to talk to India over all controversial aspects, the Foreign Office said on Thursday.

Foreign Office Spokesman Muazzam Ali Khan, during a weekly briefing, said that secretary-level defence talks with India will be held in Islamabad, but no date has been decided yet. He added that the Siachen issue is part of the talks, and demanded that India retreat back to the pre-1984 position.

The Foreign Office spokesman further said that no new soldiers are being deployed to Siachen.

A recent avalanche in Siachen resulted in the death of more than 100 Pakistan soldiers, building up pressure on both the countries to withdraw troops from the “world’s highest battlefield”.

Commenting on the re-opening of Nato supply routes, Khan said that no final decision has been taken in the matter but the defence committee has allowed the formation of a work-plan, and the decision will be taken only in the perspective of the parliament’s resolution.

The only fair solution to the problem is to restore the pre 1984 position as per Simla Accord. Both the armies must go back to their previous positions and declare the Siachen glacier as demilitarized zone open only for mountaineering expeditions from both countries.

Pakistan is one place where its right hand does not know what its left hand is doing. There have been voices emanating from no less a person than a former prime minister of Pakistan that Indian and Pakistani troops should withdraw from Siachen, thereby achieving demilitarization of the glacier, where it has been said that on both sides only one fifth of the casualties are because of military operations and four fifths because of the extreme weather. Maintaining troops there is an expensive idea, to put it mildly, and it does not really make sense to maintain troops there at all. The former prime minister also said that Pakistan should take the initiative to start talks with India for this purpose. The interior minister of Pakistan has criticized the former prime minister for suggesting unilateral withdrawal of Pakistan’s troops from Siachin: it seems the former prime minister suggested nothing of the kind. The Pakistan army chief has also said that all disputes between India and Pakistan should be resolved by negotiations and that the two countries should learn to live in coexistence. It is to be noted that the president and the prime minister of Pakistan have nothing to say on the subject. And now a spokesman of the Pakistani foreign office “demands” – yes, “demands”, nothing less – that India should withdraw its troops from Siachin – as if he thought that India would rush to comply and come running to file a completion report. We all seem to be living in a world of make believe where no one knows what is going on, people do not coordinate their statements, and they manage to contradict each other so often. No one should expect that diplomacy can be conducted through the media. The way to go forward is quiet talking without fanfare or too many statements by either side. But, then, I am a mere concerned Indian citizen.
V. C. Bhutani, Delhi, India, 19 Apr 2012, 1723 ISTRecommend

@Dr V. C. Bhutani:
Regrettably what ever you said has to be accepted as truth. Point scoring is normal tactics by political parties but on such like tragic events human aspect should get priority. What ever ex PM of Pakistan and current COAS said makes sense. Not understood why sudden need was felt for such statement by foreign ministry.

About Siachen, India and Pakistan will take decisions as per their strategic interest and not on emotional or financial considerations.Pakistan must understand that India can not and will not revert back to 1984 position and why should at all? It is a military gain and must not be lost.There is nothing called sacrifice in international relations and every country decides in accordance with its national interest. Can Pakistan give India back the occupied Kashmir, which it gained through its military adventure in 1947? Can Bangladesh remerge with Pakistan, which was possible after a war? These are all futile and fruitless talks.Pakistan should never expect India to give up its military advantage in Siachen just because it is a wasteland and does not serve any purpose.The area has high strategic importance. This is the reason why the problem is not solved till now. India will agree to withdraw if its gained position is accepted by other party. This is my view as an ordinary citizen and people has every right to disagree.

“The only fair solution to the problem is to restore the pre 1984 position as per Simla Accord. Both the armies must go back to their previous positions and declare the Siachen glacier as demilitarized zone open only for mountaineering expeditions from both countries.”

The problem is the Indians can’t trust Pakistan on the Simla or any other agreement. Kargil transgression was a violation of Simla agreement.

But, let’s face the reality. The Indians and afford to stay on Siachen indefinitely. The cost impact on India is minuscule in comparison with its GDP and defense expenditure. It appears that Pakistan has no leverage to demand anything. Of course, it can train and send terrorists into India, particularly Kashmir. But, that strategy hasn’t worked in three decades. In fact, it has backfired on Pakistan manifested as increased domestic radicalism, extremism and terrorism. Sometime, we all have to learn when to stop fighting an increasingly losing battle when the enemy has already won the larger war.

After Kargil, what guarantee is there that Pakistan will not occupy the crucial heights? All India is asking for is a guarantee that it will not, so that everyone can go home knowing things are peaceful.